Iranian Canadian Congress: ‘Canada must defend the Iran Nuclear Deal’

May 23, 2018

By John Riddell. The following statement by the Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC) and nine other signatories calls on the Justin Trudeau government to “defend the Iran Nuclear Deal as an important victory for international diplomacy, peace and non-proliferation.” The ICC is Canada’s largest organization of Iranian Canadians.

The joint statement, issued May 10, 2018, is a step toward unity of all forces in Canada that oppose war and support national sovereignty, regardless of their views on Iran’s internal political order.

The Iran Nuclear Deal (“Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” – JCPOA), signed in 2015, imposed on Iran severe cutbacks in its nuclear energy program in return for a promise that sanctions against Iran would be eased. Iran paid a high price to gain nothing but a supposed alleviation of its unjust punishment – an “unequal treaty” of the type imposed long ago by colonizing powers.

The JCPOA was signed after 20 months of intensive negotiations by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (Britain, China, France, Russia, and the U.S.) plus the European Union, Germany, and Iran.

JCPOA’s promise has now been betrayed by the U.S. government. Washington now aims to force its allies to conform to ruinous sanctions on Iran, while top U.S. government officials talk of “regime change” and beat the drums for war.

“Just as Canada helped maintain the Paris Agreement [on climate change] despite the Trump administration’s withdrawal,” the joint statement states, “we can once again stand on the side of international cooperation by supporting the JCPOA in the face of another Trump administration withdrawal.” The ten signatories also call on Canada to “work with European allies to ensure survival of the Iran Nuclear Deal.”

Open Letter

A similar appeal, made on May 14, 2018 by 200 noted scholars and intellectuals, calls on the European Union “to save the Iran Nuclear Deal.”

“It is crucial that Europe is able to discharge its international obligations” under the treaty, the Open Letter says. “It is essential that one of the great diplomatic successes of the 21st century not find itself carelessly squandered.”

Letter to Justin Trudeau by the Iranian Canadian Congress and nine co-signatories

May 10, 2018

The Right Honourable Justin P.J. Trudeau
Prime Minister of Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Freeland,

We, the undersigned NGOs, are writing to convey our concerns regarding the Trump Administration’s irresponsible decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran Nuclear Deal. We believe that Canada must defend the Iran Nuclear Deal as an important victory for international diplomacy, peace and non-proliferation.

In 2015, Prime Minister Trudeau said that Canada was “back” on the world stage as a constructive and cooperative force in the world. Since its creation, the Iran Deal has been endorsed by more than 90 nations as a vital path towards peace and stability in one of the most volatile regions of the globe. Many experts have gone further to posit that the JCPOA successfully averted another catastrophic conflict in the Middle East.

Now is when Canada needs to show that it is truly “back” as a force for good in the world by supporting the JCPOA. We must stand unequivocally on the side of peace, constructive engagement, and diplomacy.

Since the implementation of the nuclear agreement, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has, on several occasions, verified Iran’s full compliance with the JCPOA. In a recent statement the IAEA has also rejected Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent allegations against Iran.

Just as Canada helped maintain the Paris Agreement despite the Trump administration’s withdrawal, we can once again stand on the side of international cooperation by supporting the JCPOA in the face of another Trump administration withdrawal.

We the signatories of this letter therefore ask the Government of Canada to publicly express its firm commitment to the JCPOA, to comply with Resolution 2231 adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council formalizing the Iran nuclear agreement and to work with European allies to ensure survival of the Iran Nuclear Deal regardless of the course of action that the Trump Administration may take in undermining this historic agreement.

Sincerely,

Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC)

Peggy Mason, President of the Rideau Institute and former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament to the UN

I have been active in the revolutionary socialist movement in Canada, the United States and Europe since the 1960s. This blog features my current articles and some of my past writings that still seem relevant.
I welcome constructive criticism and discussion; please read the Comments Policy before posting. --John Riddell